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Written by: Laura Halligan

Published: 26 June 2018

Created: 26 June 2018

Last Updated: 26 June 2018

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The Acceleration Project (TAP) has been awarded $100,000 from JPMorgan Chase to support its work in providing expert advice to small businesses, entrepreneurs, municipalities and nonprofits. The award acknowledges TAP’s efforts to accelerate economic development throughout Westchester and beyond and will allow it to expand its services into new markets.

The investment is part of JPMorgan Chase’s $150 million Small Business Forward program to help women, minority and veteran entrepreneurs, and links underserved small businesses with capital, targeted technical assistance and support networks to help them succeed. In keeping with this goal, JPMorgan Chase chose TAP as a partner due to its innovative model that provides access to vital business consulting services well below cost.

TAP provides expert advice to small businesses located across the tri-state area and beyond. TAP has grown in its reach, expanding its services to over 20 markets in Westchester, Rockland and Connecticut, and has begun traveling to cities across the country to provide its services.

Specific to Scarsdale, TAP most recently has been instrumental in helping to transition the defunct chamber of commerce into a new, thriving business group called the Scarsdale Business Alliance, bringing a farmer’s market back to the village center, and helping to secure prospective tenants and pop ups. In addition, since 2014, TAP has been supporting local businesses through its “Buy Local” campaign. In fact, many residents are quite familiar with TAP’s “Shop the ‘Dale” logo and its various iterations that have been created to support local initiatives. This work continues to assist in attracting consumers to Scarsdale businesses through special events and promotions, and educating merchants, landowners and government officials about ways to enhance the vibrancy of the village’s retail hubs.

In commenting about the JPMorgan Chase award, TAP CEO Jane Veron said, “The Acceleration Project is extremely appreciative of JPMorgan Chase's support of economic development in our local communities. These funds will enable us to continue to serve small businesses, with an emphasis on those owned by women and minorities, and to provide them with the technical assistance they need to take their businesses to the next level.”

Veron continued, “As TAP scales, more small businesses will be able to take advantage of its services, resulting in improved outcomes for business owners from underserved populations. This will help preserve and create jobs, strengthen local economies and promote economic inclusion.”

A Win-Win for Clients and Consultants
Just as important as its work with clients, TAP also provides opportunity for women to make a meaningful impact in the community while continuing their career development. Founded and managed by women, TAP recruits, trains and mobilizes female professionals to work with small business clients, providing purposeful and resume-building experience. Off TAP’s approximately 60 consultants, many are women who left their fast paced-careers to raise children or to care for other family members, and TAP team members often work for TAP while working part-time or full-time elsewhere. For those interested in returning to the workplace, TAP offers a path forward while generating tangible results in our local economies.

According to Veron, “Our team has done it all. They are bankers, consultants, branders, marketers, attorneys and operations specialists. With stellar educational credentials and extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, our team offers the perfect blend of top-notch business acumen, outstanding relationship building and practical know-how to generate results.” She continued, “We are so pleased to provide our team with an opportunity to collaborate, deploy their talent, enhance their skills, inspire each other and energize our clients.”

For more information about TAP, click here.

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Published: 20 June 2018

Created: 20 June 2018

Last Updated: 20 June 2018

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The 90 degree heat may have forced Fox Meadow Students inside for the 90th anniversary celebration but it certainly did not put a damper on the exciting event. Monday, June 18th, kicked off the year-long celebration of the elementary school with a special ceremony which featured the student band. The ceremony was run by Fox Meadow Principal Duncan Wilson who recognized Mayor Dan Hochvert for attending the event.

As a start to this celebration, Wilson shared some Fox Meadow history as a way of keeping the spirit of the school alive. For Fox Meadow School’s first year the building was not ready on the first day of school, therefore, students who were supposed to attend Fox Meadow went to Greenacres until the building was finished. When the building was finally ready, the entire staff and student body walked from the Greenacres school to the Fox Meadow school for their official first day as Fox Meadow students.

The anniversary was also celebrated with music. Students gathered in the gyms and sang “Land that we Love” and “America the Beautiful,” two song that, according to Wilson, “show Fox Meadow’s values.” The celebration continued with the students singing Fox Meadow’s own song and a surprise visit from Foxy, Fox Meadows very own mascot. Foxy entered holding a plant, which Wilson explained was his family tree, symbolizing the family that came before him, all attending Fox Meadow as well. 

During the ceremony, the students were presented with a special Fox Meadow banner, a gift from the PTA, commemorating the school’s 90th year which will hang from the flagpole for the entire year. The ceremony concluded with another surprise gift from the teachers. A group of teachers had spent time learning to play the guitar for the celebratory day. The teachers lead the students in singing and playing “This Pretty Planet.” The celebration was a great way for students, faculty, and community leaders to come together and celebrate their school’s birthday through song and history.

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Written by: Traci Dutton Ludwig

Published: 12 June 2018

Created: 12 June 2018

Last Updated: 13 June 2018

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At approximately 10:20 p.m., June 10, police responded to a noise complaint related to a party on Berkley Road. Patrol attempted to make contact with the homeowner, but there was no answer at the door. Patrol then followed the noise to the back of the house and observed a large gathering of approximately 100-150 teens, with a DJ playing music and a strong odor of alcoholic beverages. However, no alcohol beverages were immediately in plain view. Patrol had difficulty locating a person responsible for the party due to the crowd. Patrol ordered the DJ to turn off the music. After the music was turned off, a girl approached police. She said she lived at the house and her parents were not home. Patrol told her that due to the excessively loud music and the fact that her parents were not home, the party must be disbanded. As patrol was assisting in clearing kids from the party, patrol noticed a girl to be impaired by alcohol to the point that she was having difficulty walking and standing. In the interest of safety, patrol told the girl to sit down and call her parents for a ride home. She followed patrol’s instructions and sat down to wait for her parents. An additional officer was called to help ensure safety of the scene. While patrol was waiting with the intoxicated girl and also attempting to clear kids from the party, a group of teens surrounded the girl and attempted to physically escort her out of the party with them. Patrol advised the group of kids that the girl would not be able to leave the party until her parents arrived for her. The group of kids became hostile and confrontational with patrol. Patrol radioed for backup and directed attention toward the girl’s protection and safety. At one point, the group of kids surrounded patrol and the girl and attempted to escalate the situation with taunting words and, in the case of one boy, physical aggression. That boy then took out his cell phone, pushed it toward patrol’s face and began recording the incident. While he was recording, the boy used confrontational profanity and insults with patrol, attempting to escalate the situation. Patrol remained calm and professional while safeguarding the girl until her parents arrived.

As the girl’s patents and additional officers arrived, the girl was released to her parents and crowd control efforts resumed. The crowd of kids continued to be noncompliant while leaving the party. In particular, the same group of kids that had surrounded patrol and the girl stood in the street, shouting profanities and inciting disorder while continuing to record the incident. Patrol continued to clear the scene calmly and with professionalism. After extended efforts, police were able to restore all order, and all teens left without further incident. Shortly thereafter, the party hostess’s mother arrived home. She said she had no knowledge of her daughter’s party. After the party was over, patrol discovered numerous empty alcoholic beverage containers in the shrubbery on Berkeley Road.

According to a neighbor who witnessed the incident, about 20 kids in particular were “yelling at the cops, displaying belligerent, disrespectful behavior, taking videos and challenging police.” She said the boy who was taking videos of police and cursing said: “What about my rights? … It takes eight fuckin’ cops to break up a Scarsdale party?” The witness reported this kids’ belligerent behavior continued for at least 15 minutes while the police continued to encourage the kids to leave. “The kids continued to loiter on the block within one to two houses of the party – several appeared intoxicated and one was crying – but overall at least 10-15 kids remained and were engaged in a one-sided taunting and testing of the police. Despite this combative behavior, the Scarsdale police that we witnessed (all 6 of them) were calm, respectful, professional, respectful and exceptionally patient with the teenagers until they dispersed,” the witness said.

In reaction to the incident, Caption Thomas Altizio released the following statement: “It has always been the policy of the Scarsdale Police Department not to release reports to the media that involve juveniles and youthful offenders. We recognize that these youths cannot be held accountable for their actions like an adult, and that as juveniles, their judgment and decision-making are developing. We realize that part of maturing is learning from your mistakes. This Department deals with hundreds of juvenile incidents a year that are not publicized, and handled with patience and discretion with the juveniles and their families, in an effort to correct bad behavior.

In reviewing this weekend’s reports, I came across the [incident report and witness statement reported above.]. They have both been redacted to remove the names of all parties involved. This report shows the patience and professionalism of our Scarsdale Police Officers. It shows an Officer’s concern for the safety of an impaired juvenile, and a large group of unsupervised youths with access to alcohol. The Scarsdale Police Department is proud of the way our Officers responded to this call and dealt with these juveniles.

It also shows a more troubling aspect of the incident, where impaired Scarsdale juveniles were emboldened enough to challenge the lawful direction of a Police Officer, while a group surrounded the Officer and berated and recorded him, likely hoping for the next viral YouTube video. But the Officers remained calm, respectful and professional, and no one was arrested.

This is an example of the types of juvenile incidents our officers are dealing that you normally don’t hear about. The Scarsdale Police Department will continue to deal with these types of juvenile incidents with patience and professionalism, but any criminal behavior will not be tolerated.”

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 04 June 2018

Created: 04 June 2018

Last Updated: 04 June 2018

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Scarsdale’s Quaker Ridge Golf Club will be hosting the 40th Curtis Cup matches this coming weekend (June 8-10). It is only the third time in the prestigious event’s history that the Cup has come to New York. The best amateur female golfers from Great Britain and Ireland will be competing against the best from the United States. Many of history’s best female golfers have vied for the Curtis Cup before turning professional.

The event will not only have international competitors but will also have international spectators and a television audience from around the world. FoxSports1 (FS1) will be broadcasting the event live domestically while SkySports will broadcast it live in Europe. Live feeds will also be available online.

Quaker Ridge Head Golf Professional, Mario Guerra, said, “We could not be more honored to host this international event and excited to share our facility with the world. There are limited free tickets available for spectators and I hope our neighbors will join us to celebrate the best of golf.”

The Flag Raising and Opening Ceremony begins on Thursday, June 6 at 6 pm preceded by a concert by the West Point Band at 5:40 pm. Parking throughout the tournament will be at Manhattanville College, 2900 Purchase St. Purchase, NY. Complimentary shuttle buses will run between the satellite parking area and the tournament throughout the weekend. Please arrive at Manhattanville College no later than 5:15pm on Thursday in order be at the opening ceremony on time.

More information on the event including live scoring as well as registration for complimentary spectator admission can be found here.